


would you hold me if i told you i need you

by DisasterLesbean



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Getting Together, In This House We Say Goodbye to Grimm Arm, Post-Volume 7 (RWBY), be gay do crime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:13:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22611577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisasterLesbean/pseuds/DisasterLesbean
Summary: Vengeance is a good motivator but it was nothing like Roman’s smile. It didn’t keep that loneliness from latching back into her, overwhelming her.Cinder came in and burned away those shadows. She didn’t replace Roman, no one can do that, but she became important. She became what kept Neo running. As much as she ends up having to take care of Cinder, it doesn’t run one way. Cinder, whether she knows it or not, has become the most important part of Neo’s life. She understands Neo, Cinder relaxes near her, she looks out for Neo and genuinely cares for her.
Relationships: Cinder Fall/Neopolitan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 98





	would you hold me if i told you i need you

Neo is drumming her fingers against the table, loud enough for it to resonate throughout the room. “Neo.” Cinder growls, her eye narrowed at Neo. The sun is setting and peeking through the window, washing the room in soft pinks. Cinder looks good in pink. “Neo.” Cinder repeats, uncurling herself from the bed.

Neo smiles innocently at her, nudging the plate of cooling food towards Cinder. Cinder’s gaze drops to the plate in surprise, thinking Neo was annoying her just for the fun of it. It just worked out both ways for Neo. “I’m not hungry.” Neo glares at Cinder, tilting her head towards the food insistently. 

Cinder seems to be getting worse the closer they get to Atlas. She’s taken to skipping or forgetting meals in favor of training or planning. Considering the plan is for Neo to get the artifact and for Cinder to get the maiden, the planning doesn’t seem to be going far. It could be stronger. She’s not about to tell Cinder that. 

Neo kicks the chair out and it bangs against Cinder’s knees. “You’re unbearable. I have more important things to do than eat.” Neo starts drumming her fingers again. “You won’t stop until I eat, will you?” Neo grins at Cinder’s exasperated tone. She finally sits down with a huff and starts eating. She starts tentatively, as if she needs to prove a point to Neo, but she’s quick to dig in. Would you look at that.

Cinder raises a finger in her direction, cutting Neo a harsh look out of the side of her eye. “Don’t.” Cinder threatens, the image is ruined when she slurps a noodle. Neo grins broadly, leaning forward to wipe off Cinder’s chin. “You’re lucky you’re already integral to the plan.” As if Neo’s presence has anything to do with luck. 

Cinder needs allies and she’s found herself without, she needs Neo. Not only does she need people on her side, she needs Neo specifically. Neo is one of the few people who can match her in a fight, so long as Cinder doesn’t use her maiden powers. Neo isn’t afraid to challenge Cinder or call her out when she’s being too much. She saw the way Emerald and Mercury practically rolled over for Cinder, that will never be Neo. That’s not what she ever wants Cinder to see her as.

Maybe Neo kind of needs her too. It’s nice having someone in her life again. 

A heavy fist beats against the door. “Open up! I know you two are in there! I’m not putting up with your shit anymore. Pay me and get out!” Cinder sighs and looks towards Neo in askance. Neo taps the bowl as a reminder as she stands, taking Hush with her. Neo opens the door and he looks down at her. His face is flushed with anger and he takes a step towards her. “You thought you could cheat me!” Neo backs up and he follows, she easily ducks under his swing and closes the door behind him. 

He looks at her like she’s stupid and that just makes her smile and lean back against the door. He’s easily three times her size and has a bone to pick, he’s probably used to pushing people around. He thinks that she just locked herself in with him but the truth of the matter is that he’s trapped with her.

His fist flies towards her and she shifts just far enough not to get hit but far closer than most would dare. His face flushes deeply. Good. 

He twists and tries to grab her and she once again evades him. She snags his belt with Hush and pulls him back a few steps before he realizes he’s caught. He swipes his arms back to free himself but Neo’s already released him. He growls and lunges at her, she dances away and hooks his waist again. She turns him towards the open doorway. “You fucking undergrown thief.” 

“Neo, do stop playing with your food. His stench is ruining my appetite and I know how concerned you are about my diet.” Cinder’s sarcasm is strong enough it carries to the entrance hallway. Neo kicks his back with considerable force and he stumbles into their bathroom. She walks in after him and he turns around quickly. She unsheathes Hush and slashes him jaw to collar bone, blocking the subsequent splatter with her umbrella. She sheaths it again once the spray has ceased and it’s quick enough that his mind struggles to keep up. His hand flies to his throat and he gurgles. She blinks rapidly at him and smiles innocently, this is what he gets for underestimating her. She reaches out and pokes him backwards with the tip of Hush, he falls backwards into the tub. 

Easy enough. 

She struts out for Cinder’s benefit. Neo makes no move to hide her exasperation at Cinder’s overdramatics and proclivity to rants, they’re not speeches no matter what Cinder claims, and Cinder does the same whenever Neo has a bit too much fun in a fight. Just as expected, Cinder lands her with the most unimpressed look she can manage. Neo grins and is sure to show her teeth, Cinder’s lips quiver and for a second Neo fears Cinder might actually smile. Cinder’s face might fall off if she went doing something like that.

Neo wanders over and leans over Cinder to check her bowl, tilting it towards her with a finger. “You just killed a grown man yet you still worry yourself over nothing.” Neo doesn’t agree that it’s nothing but she won’t push Cinder any further on the matter. Cinder’s hand lands on her bare skin, just above her belt. Neo’s heart skips a beat. “Neo…” Cinder’s voice grows serious, her face shadowed by her hair. Her thumb brushes over Neo’s hipbone, Cinder leans forward as if she has something important to say. “You got blood on your shoes.” Neo’s eyes widen and then she scowls at Cinder. Cinder’s resulting smirk is her equivalent of another person’s belly aching laughter. 

Neo swats at Cinder’s hand and shoots her a poisonous look. She knew just how to mess with Neo, which is slightly worrying. She didn’t think Cinder was aware of _that_.

Then Cinder’s words register and her scowl deepens, she casts an unhappy look at her boots. 

“Tell me you didn’t put him in the bathroom.” Neo shrugs and falls back onto the bed, lowering Roman’s hat over her eyes. “I need to shower.” Neo waves her hand towards the bathroom. “I’m not going to shower while he’s in there.” Cinder says with a disgusted tone and Neo shakes with silent laughter. Cinder throws a pillow at her and Neo wraps her arms around it, holding it close. She lifts up his hat and squints at Cinder. “Laugh all you want but you take longer in there than I do. Considering you have illusionary abilities, I haven’t the faintest clue why. Good luck getting ready with a rotting corpse next to you.” 

Neo shoots her a blistering look, Cinder isn’t wrong. 

Neo stands up and grabs a cloth to try and clean her boots. She hopes they’re salvageable but she doubts it. Low and behold, they’re ruined. She’s upset with herself, she is usually good at keeping blood off of her clothes. 

Cinder’s gone back to thinking too hard and staring out the window. She throws the pillow back at Cinder. Neo points to her ruined boots and jerks her head towards the door. “You want to go shopping at a time like this?” Cinder asks disbelieving. Neo pulls at Cinder’s ensemble and raises an eyebrow. “That’s fair.” Cinder admits, giving in and standing. 

As they go looking for stores Neo keeps an eye out. Cinder’s been going off for the last five minutes about team RWBY but Neo stopped listening about thirty seconds in. She keeps herself to Cinder’s left side, knowing it’s her blind side. Cinder is one of the most powerful people Neo’s ever seen but Neo refuses to leave her left open. She’s the only person here for Cinder and if there’s even the slimest chance that she could protect Cinder, she’ll take it. She won’t let it happen again. 

She passes by it, by him, and he doesn’t even notice her. She is being covert and changed her appearance, it wouldn’t be good to be caught so close to the end. She can see through the window he’s smiling wide, his mustache turned up with it. His hands are jammed into his pockets, unaware of his surroundings. Unaware of her. 

She looks back forward, pulling Cinder to a stop. 

That’ll do. 

“This is overpriced.” Cinder looks at an ugly shirt with disgust. Neo rolls her eyes and pushes Cinder away. Neo will never get anywhere choosing a new outfit with Cinder critiquing everything. Neo has a method. 

Wanting to see Cinder’s reaction is also a plus. 

It takes over an hour and she can hear Cinder’s complaints two floors up. 

It comes together well, better than well. Her smile widens when she sees it. She remembers the way Cinder’s fingers felt against her skin and how often Cinder’s gaze would fall to her waist. If Cinder’s curious, Neo is more than happy to oblige. Some may think that showing off her whole midriff on the off chance she can lure Cinder back in might be overkill but Neo would argue she’s just dedicated to seeing a job through. It’s a good work ethic, that’s all. Why not go all in?

Neo’s pleased with their excursion by the time she’s done. She refuses to get blood on this one. 

Cinder’s arms are crossed and she’s staring at a kid laughing and running through the clothing racks. “Disgusting.” Cinder mutters scornfully. 

It’s nice seeing Cinder so at ease and insulted by the existence of children. Neo’s been getting more concerned with every passing day. The stress has been getting to Cinder and she’s acting differently. It’s not just that she doesn’t eat or spaces out but also the mood swings. She’ll escalate further than necessary and is prone to anger. Her calm and collected manner cracks with fire and rage. 

It’s alarming to see her decline like she is. Neo blames the arm, she’s certain that it’s leeching her away inch by inch. It’s a parasite. 

That’s why Neo has taken the precautions she has. 

Cinder won’t hear anything about her arm, she thinks it makes her stronger. It’s up to Neo to see the bigger picture while Cinder focuses on the winter maiden. Neo blames Salem for Cinder’s warped sense of strength. There’s nothing powerful about a rot that’s grown out of control. 

Neo blames Salem for a lot of things.

Salem already took Roman from her, she won’t let her take Cinder too. 

Cinder turns around and stops at the sight of her. Usually Cinder is brief with her looks, it could almost be passed off as checking up on her, she’s isn’t brief this time. She slowly looks her down and up again, gaze getting caught on her exposed stomach. Neo cocks her hip and plants a hand on her waist, openly smirking. Cinder finally looks back at her and makes eye contact. Cinder doesn’t blush or look away, she doesn’t try to hide her appreciation. She owns it. Her eye is practically glowing like a flickering ember. 

Cinder takes a step forward and Neo wonders if she plans to actually do something this time. Cinder stops in front of her and tilts her head down, running a finger down the strap of her top and catching on the buckle. Just as Cinder opens her mouth to say something the kid from before bumps into her. Cinder’s hand lights up even as the kids runs off, Neo shakes her head. 

Sure, Neo wants to kill the kid too, but they can’t draw that kind of attention. If they kill the kid then they have to kill everyone in the store and that’s entirely too loud when they’re trying to keep a low profile. 

Neo ends up leading Cinder out of the store, disguised in another illusion so no one questions their theft. 

She feels Cinder’s eyes on her the whole way back to the room. 

It’s a shame things get set into motion and it’s time for the plan to take off.

Just another reason to hate Salem and RWBY.

She shouldn’t worry about Cinder. Cinder can take care of herself just fine. It doesn’t stop her from worrying. The last time she was separated from someone she cared about they didn’t come back. She has fun fighting the reject RWBY kids. They’re so determined it almost makes up for their lack of talent. 

Still, she worries.

Waiting for Cinder wrecks her nerves even if she would never admit to it. 

Cinder is in a state when she shows up. She’s twitchy, angry, and Neo knows Cinder was not successful on her mission. 

Cinder snatches the lamp away from Neo and tries to pass her. Neo isn’t having that. Neo grabs her wrist and pulls Cinder back towards her. Cinder snarls and her rage flares but Neo doesn’t flinch, she just tugs Cinder closer. She isn’t afraid Cinder will hurt her, she never has before. If she does, Neo’s gone. If she doesn’t beat Cinder half dead before she leaves, that is. Cinder takes a shaky breath before exhaling. She’s still obviously upset and irritable but she settles down some. 

“Thank you.” Cinder sighs, closing her eye. Neo isn’t sure if she means for calming her down or getting the lamp but she’ll take both. 

Then Cinder surprises her.

Cinder bends down and tilts Neo’s head up, kissing the corner of her mouth. Cinder moves to pull back and Neo has had enough. There’s no way she’s letting Cinder get away with that. She wraps her arms around Cinder’s shoulders and pulls her back down. Cinder gets a hint after months and pulls Neo into a searing kiss. With every slide of their lips or stroke of her tongue, Cinder relaxes more. The bitterness of failure seeps out of her and she wraps her around Neo’s waist, pulling her closer.

The city is falling to madness behind them and Neo can’t think of anywhere she’d rather be.

“I always wondered.” Neo shoots her a disbelieving look. Neo has never been subtle about her interest in Cinder, other than trying to kill her that one time. She’d argue that it was just good courting. “Not that.” Cinder huffs, eye crinkled with a hint of humor. Cinder’s lips twist into a wicked smile and Neo feels a rush of thrill run through her at the expression. Cinder lifts her higher onto her toes, brushing her lips against Neo’s ear. “Do you taste as sweet as you look?” 

Neo’s pushing Cinder back towards their room before she’s even finished the sentence.

Then Salem fucks up her life again.

Why is she even here?

The effect is immediate on Cinder and Neo curses the day Salem was born. Created? She isn’t really sure on the specifics of Salem. Regardless, Cinder’s priorities just switched much to Neo’s detriment. 

Every step Cinder takes towards Salem, Neo tries to pull her away. “This is the whole point of us being here!” Cinder argues. Cinder storms forward no matter how much Neo tries to get her to stop. She shrugs Neo’s hand off when she tries to grab her, argues whenever Neo manages to slow her down. She gets angrier, her responses turn harsher. 

There’s a fight close to them. She can hear the telltale signs of gunfire and the sound of grimm.

Neo snaps.

She grabs Cinder’s shoulder and turns her around. Cinder’s eyes flare with maiden flames and she looks at the end of her rope but so is Neo.

Neo pushes Cinder back, much harder than she’s touched Cinder since their fight. Cinder stumbles and looks surprised at the movement. Neo pushes her again, even harder. 

Fuck Cinder. 

She is so angry at this moment that she doesn’t even care if she’s testing Cinder’s control, she needs her to just stop and look at Neo. See her. See what Neo sees. 

Cinder is racing off to die. 

That’s what awaits her at the end of this road, this terrible path she’s chosen for herself. Salem will be the death of her, one way or another. She answers to a master who uses her, how much use does Cinder have left? How much of herself can she sacrifice before there’s nothing left but grimm? 

Salem already took Roman from her. Used him up too. 

Neo cannot lose another person. She can’t be alone again. Gods she can’t be alone again. Cinder doesn’t understand it, she can’t possibly even begin to understand the depths of loneliness Neo knows. It’s like a living aching thing residing deep in her chest. For the longest time it was all she had. Silence and that beating loneliness leading to a state of complete numbness. 

What did it matter what happened to her when there was nothing?

No point in living. No purpose driving her. No one to care, not even herself.

She stole to survive, learned to fight because people thought she was an easy target. For a while she was. She remembers the way her bones snapped beneath kids who were bigger or had weapons, the way dirt and blood tastes.

She learned how to evade them, how to hurt them worse. 

It didn’t defeat the numbness but seeing them writhe around instead of her? It was something. She got better, stronger, but never less alone. 

Until Roman. 

Roman who understood her, who saw her, who cared about her. He took her in and gave her a purpose. She paid him back by being the best. She became as irreplaceable to him as he is to her. He fought back that living agony and brought to her life a melody. The numbness became a stranger. 

And then…

Vengeance is a good motivator but it was nothing like Roman’s smile. It didn’t keep that loneliness from latching back into her, overwhelming her. 

Cinder came in and burned away those shadows. She didn’t replace Roman, no one can do that, but she became important. She became what kept Neo running. As much as she ends up having to take care of Cinder, it doesn’t run one way. Cinder, whether she knows it or not, has become the most important part of Neo’s life. She understands Neo, Cinder relaxes near her, she looks out for Neo and genuinely cares for her. 

Running off to die? That’s the first time in a long time she’s had to question how much Cinder really cares.

Neo doesn’t know what will remain of herself without Cinder. 

She can’t take losing her heart again. 

She needs Cinder to stop, to understand what her life is worth. Cinder won’t find what she’s looking for in Salem.

“Neo.” Cinder’s eye has softened, fire extinguished. Neo’s hand shakes slightly against Cinder’s stomach. Cinder brings a hand up to Neo’s face, brushing her hair from her eyes. Cinder’s lips are pressed together, like she can’t decide on an expression or an emotion. Cinder sighs and her face slackens, her fingers trailing down the side of Neo’s face. 

“You’re that criminal! She was with Torchwick.” A feminine voice calls out. Neo didn’t think to put up an illusion considering the world is ending, apparently the citizens of Mantle have terrible survival instincts. A poorly outfitted civilian approaches them. Her nearby allies, dressed in the same terrible clothing, look towards her. 

“I bet she’s with the people bringing in grimm!”

“No, she’s with Ironwood! He would hire thugs to take us out.” 

A shot bounces off of Hush, the shielding barely taking damage. She swings it back over her shoulder, twirling it in her hands. She gives them a disappointed look, she was in the middle of an emotional moment before she was so rudely shot at. 

Before she can move to wipe them out, Cinder’s launching towards the idiot who shot at Neo. A scream rips free from Cinder’s throat and travels down Neo’s spine, it’s almost an inhuman sound. 

Cinder tears through them, quite literally. It’s a mess of screams and blood, Cinder using more of her power than likely necessary. She chars a group of three leaving blackened mounds that melt together. She pins a majority to the surrounding building with spears and cuts through the rest with her swords. 

When it’s over and quiet other than the occasional groan, she stalks back over to Neo. “Fine. We leave.” Cinder growls, her eye is wild. Her summoned weapons all dissipate, the bodies fall to the ground as one. Neo raises an eyebrow. What was that? Usually even her worst rages don’t end up like that. “I can’t lose you.” What should be soft comes out harsh. Neo feels like Cinder’s trying to pin her to the wall with her words. “You can’t lose me.” 

Neo nods, letting out a breath of relief. Neo picks up Cinder’s hand and presses her lips against her palm. Neo entwines their fingers and pulls them away from the slaughter, away from Salem. “We don’t need her. We’ll find a way to take her out and rule instead. She left me to toil, I’ll leave her to her fate.” 

Neo takes the lead and refuses to let Cinder’s hand go. She can’t be sure how long Cinder will abide by her decision. They come across the building with the man. 

Neo barges in and finds him hiding under his desk. 

“Please, I have nothing worth stealing in here!” He calls out. Neo smacks him across the face with Hush and he drops. Neo grabs his work bag and anything else that looks promising, Cinder looking at her bewildered the whole time. Neo points at the man. “What?” Cinder asks confused. Neo rolls her eyes and gesture towards Cinder, then Cinder’s shoulders, and then back at the man. “You want me to carry him?” Cinder’s voice carries about twenty different kinds of disgust. Neo nods and Cinder grits her teeth but picks him up.

“Are you going to tell me why we’re kidnapping someone in the middle of a war?” Cinder asks as they move down a street, Neo shakes her head before turning to enter an alley. A vehicle is parked, waiting. 

Neo plans for the big picture and that was always getting Cinder out of here alive.

Cinder shoves the man in the backseat and gets in the passenger seat. 

Neo hits the gas and heads in the opposite direction of most of the fighting. She’ll run anything and anyone if they get in her way. 

The drive is tense with Neo not giving anything away, a stranger in the backseat, and Cinder going through a crisis. 

They make it out of the city with a few close calls, she almost crashes the car into at least three beowolfs. 

“Now that we’re out of Mantle, care to tell me where we’re going?” Neo shrugs and Cinder frowns. Cinder pulls out the lamp and starts examining it. “This artifact supposedly gives knowledge to whoever claims it.” Neo twists a few fingers without taking her eyes off the road. “It won’t be as easy as a switch.” Neo raises a hand, palm up. “I don’t need to check it.” Cinder still ends up checking it for a switch and Neo bites her lip to hide her smile. 

An hour later Cinder smacks Neo’s arm. “You’re kidding me.” It’s a shack, honestly. Barely standing and worn rugged. It was also incredibly cheap to rent. Neo hates spending money but she figured it would be safer to rent it out and not risk running into people. 

Neo parks and Cinder grabs the man, following Neo inside. The inside is cleaner than the outside, Neo saw to that. 

Cinder sets the man down on the ground and turns to her, done letting Neo lead them without knowing where they’re going. “Answers, Neo.” Neo nods and pulls out a pamphlet she shoved into the doctor’s bag. “We abducted a veterinarian? Why?” Cinder looks at Neo, judging her decision to let her lead. Neo looks skyward to gather her patience before pointing at Cinder’s grimm arm. “You’re kidding.” Neo crosses her arms. “I got my arm cut off, earlier. It didn’t stick and it was immensely painful. I’m not eager to repeat the experience. I’m certainly not letting a man whose career is based around giving mangy dogs shots hack at my arm.” Neo walks forward and points to his credentials.

“Oh. You think…” Cinder trails off, spacing out as she considers it. Neo nods seriously, she’s thought about this for a while. Neo takes both of Cinder’s hands between her own and holds it against her heart. “If I try this, and it doesn’t work, what will you do?” Cinder asks her. She’d keep trying, keep fighting for a way to keep Cinder around. Cinder nods, briefly leaning down to kiss her, and kicks the doctor. 

“What!” He jolts awake and looks at both of them fearfully.

“Listen close and carefully, old man. You’re going to cut this arm off. Neo believes it’s attached to a bug that’s inside of me. You’re going to get that out too. You’re going to stop this arm from regrowing. If you don’t, I assure you, things will get painful for you.” Cinder threatens him. He looks shaken and then looks at the arm and gasps.

“How extraordinary.” He murmurs, fear lacing his words. 

“Will you cooperate?” 

“I would have even if you hadn’t abducted me.” He sniffs as if he’s offended. “If I cut your arm off and search for a bug, which will possibly be attached to the arm, you will be in pain.”

Cinder’s jaw locks. “What’s new.”

“You shouldn’t be awake during the process.”

“I am not being put to sleep.” Cinder’s eye narrows at the doctor. Neo lets go of Cinder’s hand and punches her shoulder. There’s no point for Cinder to stay awake. Neo can handle one noncombatant. “Fine.”

“Excellent. Let’s get started.” 

Neo takes Cinder’s other hand as the drugs take effect and she starts fading, Cinder’s eye is caught on her, watching Neo until the last moment. 

“Why did you select me of all people?” The doctor asks as he approaches Cinder’s other side. Neo points to her mouth and then the pamphlet, where his intense study of bugs is listed under some fancy name. “I see.”

Neo will never be able to forget watching the surgery. If it can be called that. Neo isn’t a sensitive person, she practically grew up in guts and blood, but she feels green by the time the doctor finishes. 

There’s something about watching a bug crawl beneath the skin of someone Neo cares about that turns the stomach. Especially as the doctor has to tug and pull at the tendrils connecting the bug to her arm, cut around Cinder’s shoulder, and wrestle with it until it slides out. Neo is quick to dispatch it. 

The doctor ends up more or less passing out. Neo wouldn’t let him stop until he got every trace of the bug and blackness free from Cinder. Neo knows when you really want to kill something, you have to rip it out all the way to its roots. Eliminate everything supporting its life. 

It takes hours for Cinder to wake up but Neo isn’t complaining. It’s going to hurt to wake up to. Neo bides her time looking over the lamp. She can’t figure it out but this holds the answers they need. She needs to know how to defeat Salem. 

“You’re…” Cinder’s voice fails her. Neo’s eyes snap to Cinder and she tucks the lamp away. It tugs at Neo’s heart to hear Cinder like that. She finds herself carding her fingers through Cinder’s sweaty hair. Neo has always loved Cinder’s voice. She speaks slow and measured, taking her sweet time to get to her point. Why shouldn’t she? She knows everyone will listen, they’ll wait. Cinder inspires that in people. “You’re my partner.” Cinder’s already drifting off back to sleep, the pained wince fading with exhaustion. 

Neo’s breath catches.

Cinder doesn’t function in terms of partner or equal.

She believes in power. Stronger and weaker, superior and inferior. That’s how all her relationships have worked. Salem stood as her superior and most everyone else as her inferior. As far as Neo knows, Cinder didn’t go to an academy. She fundamentally has no belief or faith in partners. Yet, she called Neo her partner.  
Neo leans over and kisses Cinder’s forehead, just above the eyepatch. 

She stands up and stretches her stiff muscles out before walking over to the doctors. She kicks his legs and he jolts awake, standing. “Did she wake up?” He rubs his eyes. 

She buries Hush deep in his gut before tossing him aside. He doesn’t deserve to die but she can’t afford for him to live. In this world, she can only look out for hers. She can’t look out for an old veterinarian if she plans on keeping Cinder alive. She has one priority, one person who matters, one thing. 

To protect what is hers, she’d do anything.

To avenge what was hers, she’d do anything. 

She doesn’t care what it takes. She’ll lock Salem in one of those tar pits Cinder talks about if she has to. 

She’ll bury Ruby and Salem in the same grave and get her reparations.


End file.
